The streaming wars are heating up in India. Sources close to the matter are reporting that Times Internet, the digital arm of The Times Group, plans to sell its streaming platform, MX Player, to Amazon.
The potential deal is estimated to be worth several hundred million dollars and would see Amazon acquiring one of India’s top streaming services. It’s unknown at this time what Amazon plans to do with MX Player, but it’s reportedly considering a few potential options such as integrating the service with its existing Prime Video offering or launching it as a standalone service.
MX Player was originally launched as a mobile-only video content player in 2011. However, the platform has since expanded its offerings to include both original content and over-the-top streaming services including MX Player originals, ALTBalaji, and ZEE5. It also offers streaming services for both Indian and international markets.
It’s possible that Amazon’s purchase of MX Player could be part of its larger plans for India. The e-commerce giant recently launched its Amazon Prime service in India, and has also launched its online video streaming service, Prime Video, in the country. It’s rumored that the company plans to launch a Netflix-style subscription service soon in India as well.
In any case, the potential purchase of MX Player shows Amazon’s commitment to entering the Indian streaming market and its willingness to compete with other platforms in the country such as Netflix and Hotstar. It remains to be seen what Amazon’s plans for MX Player will be, but either way, the streaming wars in India are about to heat up.
